Two years ago, Kristin Doll was selling ads for Conde Nast. Then came 9/11, and suddenly the magazine group had lots of salespeople but not many buyers. “The advertising industry hit a big wall and I was laid off,” she says. “But it was perfect timing. I had known for a long time I wanted to do something different. Losing my job was the push I needed.”
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Doll started playing with the idea of combining some of her longtime interests: flea markets, pottery, and cooking. While antiquing with her husband, Grant Drutchers, on a trip to France, a concept started to jell. “I decided I wanted to open an exotic, international store with flavor you can’t find elsewhere,” she says. “But I wanted my merchandise to be more about enjoying your home than just a French-influenced store. I had to have a theme, so I decided to work around the kitchen, the heart of the home. Next thing you know, I was sitting down with a shipping agent in France and planning to fill a 40-foot container with antiques. It was exciting and scary.”
Doll also hosts special events like showers and engagement parties. “The store is really cute,” she says, “and that’s part of the draw. It’s very cozy. Customers want to spend time here.” Porte Rouge has branched out this year, building a Web site with a wedding registry (porterouge.biz). Cooking classes and wine tastings have been added too–per another customer request.
